Category Archives: challenging racism

Kent receives its first Race Equality Charter Bronze award

We are proud to announce that the University has achieved its Race Equality Charter (REC) Bronze Award from Advance HE – a major milestone in our work to identify and address the barriers facing our racially minoritised students and staff.

The Race Equality Charter provides an externally recognised framework to help universities improve the representation, progression and success of racially minoritised people in higher education.

To reach this point the University’s REC Self-Assessment Team have been actively listening to and engaging with our racially minoritised students and staff about what it is like for them to work and study at Kent. There has also been the analysis of a large amount of data and benchmarking. This work has highlighted areas for urgent, future and continuous improvement and it has led to recognition and reinforcement for a number of outcomes and initiatives to improve race and intersectional equality across the University. These include our:

Sector-leading Diversity Mark project
Student Success initiatives
Report and Support for students and staff
Living Black at Kent
Anti-Racism Strategy
Inclusive staff training and recruitment

Professor Georgina Randsley de Moura, the University’s Acting Vice-Chancellor and President said: ‘This award is an important reflection of the collective progress made to improve the culture, experience and outcomes for our racially minoritised students and staff. I would like to thank everyone who has made it possible through their commitment to anti racism and determination to help reduce racial inequalities and ensure that Kent is a welcoming and inclusive environment for all. There is much more to do but this achievement is an indication that we are heading in the right direction.’

Kent is hosting this year’s Living Black at University Commission conference on 8 October, the theme of which is ‘Engaging With Equity’. Conference delegates will have access to practical university case studies on actions taken as a result of Living Black at University and the Commission, including a Black student panel, hosted by Student Minds.

Further information on our Bronze Award and the work we are doing to challenge racism can be found on our Challenging Racism webpages. If you would like to get involved please contact equalityanddiversity@kent.ac.uk.

Black History Month: find out what’s on

Black History Month national theme – Reclaiming Narratives

October can only mean one thing. Black History Month is once again being celebrated at Kent across all our sites. This year, the national theme is Reclaiming Narratives and this has never felt more pertinent. This theme is not just about revisiting history; it’s about taking ownership of the stories that define Black culture, Black contributions, and Black identity. It’s a call to action for Black communities across the UK and here at Kent to step into the role of storytellers, historians, and custodians of Black heritage. For far too long, Black histories have been narrated by others, leading to distorted portrayals that fail to capture the full breadth and depth of Black experiences.

Black History Month is an opportunity for us as an organisation to celebrate and recognise the myriad of ways in which Black people have contributed to the arts, science, culture, history and technology of Britain and the wider world. It allows us to shine a spotlight on those achievements, and also provides a platform for staff and students to discuss and reflect on their own experiences. It is organised by a team of people that include the BAME Staff and Student Networks and representatives.

What’s on at Kent

Events to look out for include the Vision and Voices student showcase featuring a panel discussion on the topic of Reclaiming Narratives, the Nigerian Independence Day party in the Venue, an Afrobeats Brunch, the Woody’s BHM Quiz, an exhibition in Keynes featuring the work of Abolore Sobayo on the life and works of Professor Wole Soyinka and inspired by his significant literary works, quotes, book cover designs and his beliefs in Yoruba mythology, guest speaker Andrew Morris, film screenings and more, including a wealth of online resources.

You can find out about everything that is on offer on the Black History Month webpages

Get involved with our Caribbean Creation series

At Kent, we are committed to ensuring that all our students and staff, including our Black students and staff, have the best experience possible whilst they are with us. It is important for us not to limit this celebration to just one month a year. That is why we have #Black365; a series of events and activities that take place throughout the year that continue the legacy of Black History Month. This BHM we are launching our Caribbean Creations series, and are asking staff and students to get in contact with us to showcase their Caribbean heritage inspirations and heroes. These can be individuals from the worlds of politics, food, literature, academia, sport, music, art, science or even your friends and family who have inspired you. Please send us a short piece (written or filmed) and a picture describing who they are and why they are a hero to you by the end of the month. All entries will be showcased as part of the #Black365 campaign after Christmas. Entries and queries should be sent to Becky Lamyman on StudentEDI@kent.ac.uk.

Race Equality Charter Bronze achievement

This year we are delighted to announce that we have achieved Race Equality Charter Bronze status. This achievement acknowledges the work and labour that our staff and students have undertaken over recent years to make Kent a place that strives to be anti-racist, advances equality of opportunity, is committed to a decolonised curriculum and advocates for students and staff from racially minoritised backgrounds. The award is just the start of the journey; now the real work towards the realisation of our 5-year Race Equality Charter action plan begins. You can find out more about this work on our Challenging Racism webpages.

Report + Support

Black History Month can be a time of celebration, but also highlights injustices, past and present. The increased awareness of racism during Black History Month can be challenging. Use our online reporting tool ‘Report and Support’ to be part of a culture shift and get the support you need.  

Feedback

We really hope you explore and enjoy all the different events and activities that have been organised by staff and students for staff and students. We are always seeking to improve though, so if you have any ideas for the future, or feedback, please do get in contact with us on StudentEDI@kent.ac.uk

Happy Black History Month 24!

#BHM24

Sports Students Unite Against Racism

With Black Inclusion Week starting soon, we wanted to highlight some of the great work being done by Kent Union and Christ Church Students’ Union, who joined forces to show racism in sport the red card by running a ‘Tell Your Story’ campaign.

Sports teams from the universities held their annual Varsity competition at the end of March, and this year there was more at stake than just who would claim the title of champion. Students came together in solidarity not just for the love of the game, but also to take a stand against racism, prejudice, and discrimination.

Launched on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, this anti-racism campaign centres around a two short films, featuring eight student athletes from racially and ethnically marginalised (REM) backgrounds share their stories, speaking about how their experiences have been shaped by racial discrimination and prejudice in sport. Watch the films here.

“REM students are underrepresented in our sports clubs by 12%,” says Toni Abiodun, Kent Union Vice President Student Engagement, who spearheaded the campaign alongside Max Elvin, her counterpart at Christ Church Students’ Union. Toni continued, “I wanted to run a campaign which was bold, supportive, and inclusive. It was clear there was a lack of participation and representation amongst our REM students in our sports clubs and committees, an issue that couldn’t be ignored. Varsity is the biggest sporting showcase event of the year, so I used this opportunity to hold ourselves and our sports teams accountable.”

FACE x Horniman Exhibition

As part of #Black365, March 2024 sees the launch of FACE X HORNIMAN – Hair: Untold Stories exhibition. FACE (Fashion Academics Creating Equality) and the Horniman Museum. This exhibition is set in a physical space for the first time, and explores and celebrates the influence, importance and personal narratives attached to the significance of hair seen against Eurocentric beauty standards from Black, Brown and Asian perspectives within the UK.

The exhibition has been curated by Fashion designer and Senior Lecturer Davina Hawthorne (De Montfort University) and Photographer and Associate Professor Max Kandhola (Nottingham Trent University), both council members of FACE and Co-Founder of FACE, Sharon Lloyd. Contributing editors: Dr Sarah Bryne, Professor Emma Tarlo, Rose Sinclair (MBE), Andrew Ibi, Jacob Goff, Benita Odogwu-Atkinson and Michelle Marshall.

The exhibition will seek to take visitors on a journey of discovery of the importance of hair from within the academic and student educational space. Both students and academics explore the complex relationship between hair and identity, revealing the importance of generational traditions in different communities and the power of creative invention.

The exhibition will launch on Wednesday 27 March, 5pm in Keynes College and remain open and free to view for all staff, students, and members of the community in Keynes Atrium and Teaching Gallery spaces until July 2024.

If you would like to attend the Private View please contact Becky Lamyman on StudentEDI@kent.ac.uk by 25 March 2024.

#Black365 is a yearlong campaign to celebrate Black culture, Black excellence and Black achievement at the University of Kent.
FACE (Fashion Academics Creating Equality) works to challenge Higher Education Institutions and industry in fashion, art and design fields to be more inclusive, unified and equitable, with a particular spotlight on issues concerning race, colour and ethnicity. More information on the FACE academics who have supported this exhibition through text and works can be found at weareface.co.uk.
Horniman Museum is located in Forest Hill, South East London, and aspires to connect visitors with global cultures and the natural world, encouraging us to shape a positive future for the world we all share and was the Art Fund Museum of the Year winner 2022.
Works and text produced by FACE Academics and Students for Horniman Museum’s Hair: Untold Stories can also be viewed online.

Living Black at Kent student focus group

Help the University Accommodation team develop their next Living Black at Kent welcome booklet, they rolled out a welcome booklet last year, and work towards improving our Black students’ experience.

The booklet is to help smooth the transition to life in Kent and the University, and the team are all ears to know what you think of it. Honest opinions are needed on what worked and what needs improvement. There are two focus groups lined up and the team are looking for Black students to pitch in their ideas to make this resource even better.

What is a welcome booklet?

The Living Black at Kent booklet is an honest effort to spotlight local services near our campuses. It’s designed to assist Black students in adjusting to living in a new town by making them aware of helpful resources within the local area.

Who created it and what did the report say?

Kent’s staff and students collaborated to create this booklet, following a report by Unite Students, and supported by Halpin Partnership. The report by Unite Students highlighted the experiences of Black university students living in UK student accommodation and indicated that “over a quarter (28%) of Black students felt that they cannot access culturally relevant services close to where they live”. This was just one of the report’s findings which inspired us to launch the booklet and help our students feel more at home.

What can I do?

Join us in the Living Black at Kent focus group and let’s make a difference together! Share your unique experiences as a Black student at Kent, or perhaps some hidden gems of services you’ve discovered that others might not know about yet. Your insights could be the guiding light for the next set of students.

When and where are the Living Black at Kent focus groups being held?

Don’t miss the chance to join our focus group on 20 or 27 March 2024, in the Darwin Conference Suite, from 13:00 to 14:30. We’re looking for 20 participants per session. By participating, you’ll play a critical role in enhancing our community and making a lasting impression. Your contribution can make a real difference, and don’t forget that £20 KentOne credit!

Use the form to register your interest in our upcoming sessions. Once done, we’ll provide you with even more exciting details!

You can also check out the 2023 Living Black at Kent booklet online and if you would like to read the full Unite Students report, you can find this at Unite Students. Please get in touch if you have any further questions about these sessions, by emailing the ResLife Team.

Living Black at Kent

The first research report into Black students’ experience in UK purpose-built student accommodation, Living Black at University was published in February 2022 by Unite Students. At the University of Kent, we wanted to respond to and act upon the findings and recommendations of the report published which had found evidence of racism, cultural insensitivity, and exclusion – all of which had a significant impact on Black students’ mental health.

A Living Black at Kent Working Group was set up in April 2023, comprising stakeholders from across the University and student union, to respond to the findings, and ten recommendations in the report listed below, thereby improving, and enhancing the lived experience for our Black students.

Universities and accommodation providers should collaborate to eliminate racism from all areas of the student experience, including student accommodation.
Improve acclimatisation and integration activities for all new students and extend the period over which these activities take place.
Introduce meaningful race training for peers and staff.
Accommodation providers should confirm a commitment to tackling racism, both in their internal policies and in their student behavioural agreement or charter
Improve the representation of Black people as employees to reflect the diversity of students.
Universities and accommodation providers should work together to create intentionally diverse and inclusive student accommodation.
Universities and accommodation providers should collaborate to ensure mental health and wellbeing support is available, accessible, and appropriate for Black students.
Ensure there are clear and accessible policies and procedures (including anonymous reporting) that deal explicitly with racism in accommodation.
Accommodation providers should routinely collect, analyse, and publish relevant data on the racial diversity of their residents and employees, as well as outcomes of reporting and investigation of complaints.
Accommodation providers should work to build a relationship of trust with Black students.

So far, we have looked at our acclimatisation and integration activities to ensure that we offer a diverse range of options during our welcome period, and we are making this a real focus for our ResLife programme to ensure that this continues throughout the academic year.

We have considered Kents student demographics to ensure we are providing culturally relevant services. Our catering options were reviewed as part of this, and students and suppliers were invited to a food tasting event, where we could gather feedback about our food offerings on campus. As a result, in September 2023 we launched a West Indian microbrand called Three Little Birds and are also offering a selection of African and West Indian drinks and snacks in our catering outlets.

Current residential students were invited to share what advice they would give to new students moving to Kent for the first time in terms of other culturally relevant services in the area. From this we have created a welcome booklet called ‘Living Black at Kent’ featuring peer-to-peer advice from current students, signposting to where students can find global food suppliers, Afro-Caribbean hair salons, and suggestions for student societies and faith groups.

As the Living Black at University (LBU) report is a national project, to ensure that the work we do here at Kent is relevant for our student body we included the original research questions in our 2022/23 end-of- year residential student survey to which we had a fantastic response rate, demonstrating the engagement of Kent students in this discussion.

The findings were compared with the original LBU Report findings, as well as comparing with qualitative data collected by both our EDI team and Students Union which focused on Black students’ experiences at Kent. With this feedback data we are confident that we are improving areas at Kent that will have significant impact.

The residential survey, with the addition of the LBU elements, will run annually at Kent enabling us to respond to the current student body and measure our initiatives impact.

Most importantly is here at Kent we are open to the findings and embrace change to make positive improvements for our Black students; we look forward to sharing the results and initiatives as they evolve with you and welcome any feedback you have on the Living Black at Kent project.

Challenging Racism project update

Update from Leroy | Race Equality Charter Co-ordinator

Since our last update the Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) Team has been working on our Race Equality Charter (REC) and at the end of 2021, introduced our Race Equality Charter Self-Assessment (RECSAT) Team to analyse its data.

Here’s more information about the Race Equality Charter and the work being done by the Race Equality Charter Self-Assessment Team:

What is the REC?

The Race Equality Charter (REC) is an AdvanceHE charter mark focussed at Higher Education (HE) institutions reflecting and tackling race inequality. It follows fairly similar principles to AthenaSWAN with the exception that its focus is ethnicity rather than gender. It asks us as an institution to set up a Race Equality Charter Self-Assessment Team (RECSAT).

What is RECSAT?

The Race Equality Charter Self-Assessment Team (RECSAT), is the committee involved in analysing our application, commenting and critiquing on data.

We established the RECSAT in December 2021 and since then it has had two full meetings and they have been discussing topics such as the University’s wider EDI work alongside how we go about fulfilling REC requirements.

Outcome from the RECSAT meetings

The RECSAT decided to continue to use the term racially minoritised in Kent. While we know that the term racially minoritised isn’t perfect, we all acknowledge the problems the term Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) brings, especially how it excludes some minoritised communities and homogenises others.

As set out in the Antiracism Strategy; racially minoritised is a term increasingly used in EDI work as an alternative to BAME as it highlights the social construction of racial categorisation. However, the term racially minoritised also has limitations:

it could be perceived as passive and limiting in terms of individual agency
it also risks homogenising the experience of individuals and communities who experience racism in different ways.

The term is used here fully aware of these limitations but in acknowledgement that there is no consensus on a new national preferred terminology as of yet.

Where we classify racially minoritised and we as an institution support racially minoritised individuals, there may be a mismatch in support from external providers and we are looking to see how we can do that effectively.

We would encourage staff and students to talk to RECSAT members so that thoughts and opinions can enhance meetings. We would ask however to respect that the individuals are students and full time staff and may also have a lot of things on their plate alongside the vital work they are doing in the REC.

One of the other key things that our RECSAT emphasised in their previous meetings, is the importance of making spaces and mechanisms with proper throughput of lived experiences of staff and students. Members stressed the importance of listening and discussing these things and not losing the spaces that provide them, as well as ensuring what’s heard is acted upon and taken up with feedback and progress.

Discussions of the things that come out of RECSAT meetings will form part of the REC action plan as well.

The EDI Team has been working on our REC application with the input of the RECSAT and staff around the institution.

How you can get involved

If you’re a group of staff, a student network, Divisional EDI team, a person who wants to know more, get involved or mention something to us, do get in touch.

There are some quick and easy things you can do:

Have open discussions about EDI between yourselves and your Divisional/Departmental EDI teams. The more we talk, the more we can listen, the more we can improve. Those things can feed into the REC process and our EDI forum.
Ensure you’ve got your demographic information complete as possible and up to date on StaffConnect. We need to ensure we have as complete a picture as possible when we do our work to make sure it has the widest impact.

There are resources in Kent and across the board that can help you get started, enhance what you know with some intersectionality in Kent:

Progress on student demands

Throughout the REC and antiracism work we have been doing we are keeping a close eye on the student demands and what we can do to take more action on them.

Kent made its Antiracism Strategy in response to student demands as well as to incorporate the University’s commitment to being an antiracist institution. An action plan to that strategy is being made as part of our REC submission process to push the progress in a positive direction with meaningful accountability.

We are setting up a Harassment and Discrimination Prevention Group. The group will include staff and students and look at potentially being an independent panel having no senior management involved in the processes.

The excellent survey made by the BAME staff network is entering its next phase. Big shout out to the network co-chairs for the amazing piece of work they are continuing.

Other institutional progress

Kent has signed up to StellarHE Executive Development Programme for Diverse Leaders (BAME) in Higher Education. It is aimed at academic and professional staff aspiring to senior leadership positions in Higher Education and we have submitted our first round of staff to the programme.

Feedback from the ‘Implementing an anti-racism strategy’ session

The final day of Kent’s inaugural staff conference was marked by an important session on our university’s new Anti-racism strategy. GdM (DVC, EDI Lead and Kent’s Race Champion) hosted a staff discussion and Q&A, together with a panel of colleagues instrumental in the development of our strategy.

You can listen to a recording of the event.

Slides to accompany the event – Staff Conference anti-racism strategy slides

Key feedback from the session include:

*making sure that experiences and stories are incorporated into our anti-racism work (along with more quantitative forms of data).

*being as transparent as possible about what we are doing, so that we can get the most out of this living-breathing process and associated work plans.

In response to this feedback we will be continuing to update our Challenging Racism pages so that this can serve as one part of a broader suite of mechanisms for feedback and transparency in our work around EDI. We will also be looking to join up important insights from across the institution, including but not limited to the important experiential information and recommendations which have emerged from the BAME Staff Network’s survey and project.

To amplify work that is already happening across Kent in support of our approach to anti-racism, we’d also like to draw your attention to other key updates at this time:

*Inform Kent (InK) has changed to Report + Support. The Report + Support page can be found on the website. The page gives the option to give an anonymous report or a report with details that Ken can follow up on. In both cases your confidentiality will be respected in-line with our safeguarding policies. This page also collates all of the help and support pages into one, to increase access to the resources that may be most helpful to you at the time.

*The staff reporting tool can still be accessed via links found on the “Reporting Incidents” page.

Just a reminder that this reporting tool is for any sort of incident that occurs, irrespective of whether the incident involves another member of staff.

We hope that staff and students will feel encouraged to report incidents and that the experience of doing so feels helpful and supportive. Where sufficient information is shared, we hope to enable effective, timely resolutions and support. Your experience at Kent is important to us. If for any reason you have concerns about reporting, do please speak to a Harassment Adviser or someone you trust within the institution, as we’d like to ensure you get the support you need.

Supporting the mental health of Black and racially minoritised students

Warning: Contents contain references to racism and may have a triggering effect for some individuals

Racism can happen anywhere; at work, at home, at University, online or in the physical world. Racism is still a very real and damaging facet of modern day society and can have a long term and lasting impact on anyone who has experienced it either directly or indirectly. This includes the mental and emotional strain created by microaggressions. Here at Kent we want to support all students who have been affected or continue to be affected by racism and work together to create a culture where racism is not just challenged, but eradicated completely.

Have you been affected by racism? Young minds have some great resources and signpost organisations and helpline services to support you:

Advice on racism and mental health #BHMKent2021

Speak to someone you can trust. It might be difficult to talk about how you are feeling or to revisit personal experiences of racism. Take your time and only share what you are comfortable sharing. Student Support and Wellbeing have a free confidential counselling service for all students at Kent.

Learn your rights and how to report abuse. This can help empower you and remind you that what you are experiencing is not okay and no one should express that it is. Use our online reporting tool ‘Report and Support’ to be part of a culture shift and get the support you need. Allies should acquaint themselves with the support tools available as well so that they can be advocates for their friends and classmates.

Find supportive groups and communities who understand what you are going through. It can be very hard to explain how you feel to a person that has not experienced racism, whether directly or indirectly. Communities can be a way to find like-minded people with similar experiences and shared interests that you can talk to, have a safe space to be heard and remember that you are not alone. One of the online platforms you have free access to as a Kent student is Togetherall.

Join a movement to create change. There are many anti-racist movements and organisations who are fighting for change in society. Being part of a larger movement can help you feel empowered, valued and give you a sense of hope that change is possible. Make sure to take time out to rest and look after yourself if you are regularly involved in activism. Kent Union supports a number of student networks. These are student-led spaces where students who share an interest of identity can discuss issues relating to their group and help build a community.

Remember it is not your responsibility to fix racism. Do not put pressure on yourself – this is a problem you cannot solve on your own. The people around you all have a responsibility to make changes to their behaviour and to uphold the rights of Black and racially minoritised individuals.

Enough is Enough! Clean your social media feed. What we see online can have a negative impact on our mental health, but remember you can have control over what you see on your social media. Try unfollowing or blocking accounts and muting words that upset you. All social media channels have ways you can report abusive behaviour. At Kent we expect certain standards of behaviour both online and in the ‘real’ world. If you are concerned about anything you see you can report it to us in a safe and confidential manner using our online Report and Support tool.

The University of Kent and Kent Union are working together to celebrate Black History Month 2021 #BHMKent2021. Take a look at the Kent Union BHM website for events and resources at Kent. This includes a free mental health support workshop by Diverse Cymru, an organisation that specialises in Black mental health. Please check the website for further information and to register your attendance.

Photo by Mubarak Showole on Unsplash

Challenging Racism session for Executive Group

Our executive group members undertook 3 x 2 hours sessions over a 6 week period starting in January 2021.

The sessions was strategic and high level, giving a broad picture of the current national context in relation to race and ethnicity and included tools for EG to use at their level. The programme was contextualised and took into account recent activity from staff and student’s networks i.e. call for action/demands after the death of George Floyd that EG needed to respond to.

The sessions covered the following areas:

1. Where have we been?

· Scene setting and expectations of the group.

· Context setting: what’s the conversation going on nationally? In the HE sector?

· Sharing concerns and challenges of talking about race and having these conversations

· Exploring privilege and white privilege

~ Mid-session tasks~ The group will be set a video/TED talk to watch and an article to read

2. Where are we now?

· Reflection on session 1 and mid-session tasks

· Micro-aggressions and language. How do we spot it? How do we challenge and change? Practical tips for constructive challenge and how to role model this as a leader.

~ Mid-session tasks~ The group will be set a video/TED talk to watch and an article to read

3. Where do we go next?

· Reflection on the journey so far

· How to start conversations about race – including rehearsing starting the conversation

The sessions were well attended with the majority of EG members attending all 3 sessions. Evaluation feedback was requested at the end of each workshop and the next workshop was designed based on the comments and suggestions received following an iterative approach. The first 2 workshops were mostly about building basic knowledge and understanding around the challenges surrounding race equality whereas the last workshop was a lot more practical with the group discussing how they would respond to the call to action from staff and students. A number of “next steps” were agreed with the consultant and a follow-up workshop is planned for 2021-22.